


sunflower

by chininiris



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Ann Week 2019, Bonding, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon, before you kill me - the shuann only appears in the last chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-08-19 09:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20207800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chininiris/pseuds/chininiris
Summary: Seven scenarios in which we see Ann through the eyes of the Phantom Thieves and Shiho.For Ann Week 2019.





	1. color of friendship

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApXoWvfEYVU), but also because I think sunflowers are good flowers for Ann. Each chapter is named after a meaning.
> 
> DAY 1: **Friendship** / Love  
_The sunflower’s yellow color symbolizes vitality, intelligence, and happiness. The color yellow also traditionally symbolizes friendship._

The electronics store in Akihabara is massive. Futaba has been here a few times, all of which she was accompanied by Ren, to browse for new games. She still thinks it’s much easier to shop online, but she has to admit that there’s something pleasant about looking at the game cases on the shelves.

Futaba is getting over her social anxiety, slowly but surely, but she’s still not ready to face a shop this big by herself. Sojiro still has to drive her to school in the mornings, and either Ann or Ryuji walk her back to Leblanc after classes are over. 

So, who better to invite shopping than Ann Takamaki?

Ann doesn’t even question the invite, promptly accepting it and deciding on a day and hour. She goes to Leblanc to meet her and promises Sojiro to take care of Futaba, who only rolls her eyes, but still appreciates the gesture deep down. She’s not as goofy with Ann as she is with Ryuji and Yusuke, but Ann still is a dear friend whom she likes to spend time with. 

Into the subway they go, making stops and changing trains until they reach Akihabara. Futaba holds onto the sleeve of Ann’s sweater as they walk, both to avoid getting lost and to provide a sense of comfort, and Ann in turn offers to hold her hand. 

“I’m not a kid,” she protests, and Ann giggles lightly at the pout on Futaba’s lips. 

“I know you’re not.” She wiggles her fingers, but Futaba still won’t take her hand, prompting another laugh. Ann recoils her hand. “Ah well, that’s not needed anymore, anyways. We’ve arrived.” 

By now, Futaba knows well where the games are kept, so she weaves through the aisles towards her destination, Ann always a step behind, keeping Futaba in her line of sight. There’s a new console on display, a shiny, sleek design with top-of-the-line technology. Futaba spends a long while circling it, taking notice of all the cool details she’s read or seen in unboxing videos. To see it in real life, though, is something else. 

She supposes she can use some of the leftover money from being a Phantom Thief to get her hands on this. 

Ann is close by, turning a case for one of the handheld games in her hands. Futaba saunters closer, leaning over to read the title and peek at the explosion of colors on the front. Then, she looks up at Ann’s face. “Do you game?” 

“Yeah,” she replies, returning the case to the shelf to get another one. “Just a hobby, though. I don’t play online or anything like that.”

Although Futaba has known Ann for quite a while, she wasn’t aware of this, and though she can maintain a steady conversation with the blonde, this is a topic that she excels at. “Really? What console do you own? Do you play computer games too?” 

“Just a PX Bita.” Ann shakes the case to emphasize her point, smiling. “I got it for Christmas a while ago. It’s metallic red, I love it.” 

Futaba squints at her. “You do like red, don’t you?”

“It’s always been my favorite color.” She shrugs, sheepish, and that explains much about her Thief outfit. “I haven’t gotten any new games in a while, though. Can you recommend me some?” 

“Lucky for you, I read a lot of reviews online.” Futaba pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose and cracks her knuckles. “What are some genres you like?” 

It doesn’t take too long to find a game that Ann likes, as she’s more inclined to like single player games with a good story than any kind of first person shooter or multiplayer. Even plotless games like Animal Criss-Cross and Sunshine Valley are interesting to her.

Once that’s done, Futaba gets herself a new game with online gameplay and a game for the old console Ren left behind in the attic of Leblanc, for the times when the team was to meet up there for one reason or another. They usually meet there when they agree to video chat him, all of them cramming in front of Haru’s laptop to greet Ren with wide grins. 

After paying for their games, Ann treats her to ice cream, lets her pick the biggest sundae and pays with the money earned from her latest photoshoot. Futaba eats until she has to scrape the bottom of the glass clean, looking forward to getting home and playing her new games.

But she doesn’t want to go home quite yet, a feeling that only makes itself known around certain people. “Can we go somewhere else?” 

Ann halts, spoon still in her mouth, cheeks puffed. It’s an odd request coming from her, Futaba knows that. “Where to?” She asks after swallowing her bite and licking her lips clean.

She’s been living her entire life in Tokyo and still hasn’t seen much of it. “Uh… The arcade?” She’s heard Ren mentioning the arcade once. Futaba had been thinking of asking him to take her there, but between everything that happened, they never quite had some peace for the opportunity to arise. 

After a moment of silence, Ann nods and pushes her empty glass away, rising to her feet with their purchases and her purse in hand. The last empty seat on the subway is given to Futaba, who hugs the games to her chest for extra protection as Ann stands close by throughout the journey back to Shibuya. With so many people around them all the time, Futaba is glad and relieved that she has someone with her now. 

As opposed to the subway and the streets, the arcade isn’t packed and Futaba instantly relaxes. Between shooting and racing games and retro pinball machines, she spends the remainder of the afternoon laughing with Ann, curling into a fit of giggles when she fails miserably at a game of Dance Dance Evolution whilst Ann can keep up with most of the steps.

How many times has Ann been here, she wonders?

With the tickets they won, they can take home a small Jack Frost doll each. Ann turns it around in her hands, cheeks still flushed from the dancing game. “I wonder if I can have some custom made outfit done for it.”

“I don’t understand why they dressed it like a jester,” Futaba muses, but in the end she won something, so she’s happy with it. 

They stand outside the arcade as the sun is setting, Ann typing a quick reply in her phone and Futaba holding her doll under her arm, watching the people walk by. It’s probably Sojiro asking for updates. Futaba smiles to herself.

She looks up at Ann, her relaxed profile and eyes still gleaming from all the laughter they shared inside that building with many colorful, blinking lights. Ann had been so caring in the events that led up to Futaba’s change of heart, and after as well. Admitelly, Futaba feels more comfortable teasing and nagging Yusuke, or sometimes play-fighting with Ryuji. But Ann is… 

“Ready to go?” Ann asks with a smile, stepping in front of her so they can leave.

It’s a different sort of friendship. Futaba feels she can rely on Ann almost like she relied on Ren when he was still around. Ann is so openly caring of her teammates, even when they were just strangers to her. Futaba’s heard of how she wanted to help Yusuke, saw her wanting to help Futaba herself, saw her comforting Haru in all the stages related to the heist of her dad’s palace. 

She saw Ann rallying everyone to get Re out of juvie.

Futaba remembers hearing him say that Ann wanted to strengthen her heart so she could help others. That is all she ever wanted out of being a Phantom Thief, Futaba thinks, aside from the thoughts of revenge that had been the catalyst, the things that pushed her to follow that path. 

Looking down, she eyes Ann’s spare hand, the one not holding a Jack Frost toy, and reaches out for it slowly, feeling more timid than she’s felt in a while. Futaba isn’t big on physical contact… But this she can handle. She welcomes it, even. 

Ann glances down at their hands and wraps her fingers around Futaba’s slighter hand, beaming. Futaba smiles back and lets herself be guided back home.


	2. bounty and provision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 2: **Femme Fatale** / Moxie  
_To Native American groups, sunflowers represented harvest, bounty, and provision because they provided seeds, pigment, and more._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorite chapters, if not the one. Idk, it's just funny to me. And I really like the direction it took, because I was stuck for the longest time. Also, I wrote that volleyball bit before Makoto's trailer came out so, hah. I'm a psychic.

The Metaverse is long gone, but Makoto can say with surety that their Personas blended with who they are outside of a Palace or Mementos. She’s been much more vicious in her aikido practice, landing stronger blows due to muscle memory, which is both favorable and not. Her stamina has increased greatly, and last time she had a friendly volleyball match, she spiked the ball so hard it could have broken someone’s nose had it hit their face.

Thankfully, the opposing team ducked out of the way.

But Makoto isn’t the only one displaying such changes in behavior, and she is observant enough to notice that her friends are acting differently as well. For instance, Haru’s demure personality scatters to who knows where once they’re all together and she allows herself to be silly and laugh openly. 

Makoto doesn’t get to spend much time with them these days, being a college student and all, so she notices these things slowly, but she might as well use the opportunity to see how Ann has changed since they’ll be spending some time together. 

With milkshakes in hand, they walk through the bustling streets of Harajuku with linked arms, looking for new clothes for Makoto to take on the weekend trip with Sae. Having some free time today, Ann offered to tag along with promises of giving feedback on the pieces Makoto chooses. 

Ann keeps words flowing between them seamlessly, her cheerfulness and good humor always coaxing words out of other people. Her lips stretch around a grin, the plastic straw of her drink pinched between her white, even teeth, and Makoto finds herself returning the smile. 

The trip being up North, Makoto wants to be prepared for the possible chill of the mountains. All that is missing is a new coat, and they have looked through some stores now, but Ann hasn’t approved of anything. According to her, Makoto only goes for the same style of peacoat, the straight cut with two columns of buttons, of which Makoto already owns three. Ann has seen them all.

“Let’s look through this store,” Ann says suddenly, maneuvering them into the shop. Though she forces their way through the throng of people, she says apologies to them over her shoulders. 

The shop is relatively empty compared to the previous ones. Employees walk around wearing the same bright pink shirt for easy identification, and the one with dyed pastel blue hair points them in the direction of the racks of coats. Ann wastes no time to push the hangers aside in search of the perfect coat, and Makoto hasn’t even touched the other pieces yet when Ann makes a triumphant noise.

In her hand, she holds up a light grey coat, high collared, four large buttons to the left of the chest and a subtle flaring skirt. “This would look great with the black pants and shoes you bought,” Ann says, wiggling the hanger as if it can entice Makoto into buying it.

It looks extremely soft, so Makoto reaches out and yes, it is very pleasant to the touch. The inside of the sleeve is soft and warm like fleece, and Makoto kind of wants to bury her face in it. “I like it a lot.” 

“Go try it!” She ushers Makoto in the direction of the changing rooms, but not before snatching a black coat and deep red one from the racks as they pass.

In the changing room, Makoto dresses out of her clothes and puts on the pants and boots she purchased previously. Now two inches higher, she puts on the coat and arranges it on her body, smoothing down the skirt until it stop slightly above her knees. She twirls around, looking at herself from different angles, and the more she twists and turns, the more she likes it. If she dips her head, Makoto can hide the lower half of her face in the soft fabric.

And it has pockets!

Makoto can hardly remember the last time she was so excited to buy something new. If she does a little dance as she takes it off, no one is there to see. Redressing into her shirt, she pulls the tag from inside to check the price and feels her stomach plummeting. 

Ann is already outside when she walks out, the two coats slung over the crook of her arm, undoubtedly ready to be taken home. Instantly, she notices the change of mood and steps closer to see what’s wrong, wincing in sympathy when Makoto shows her the tag.

“I should have looked into it before trying it on.” What is left of the money Sae gave her to buy new clothes isn’t enough to pay for the cost of this coat. “Let’s look for a new one.”

“No.” Even if Ann hadn’t put a firm hand on her shoulder, Makoto would have stopped simply for the seriousness of her tone. “Give me that.”

She all but snatches the coat from her hands and, bewildered, Makoto is left to follow her as Ann power walks to the cash register. The cashier happens to be one of the few men working in the shop, a boy that seems to be around their age. Catching up with Ann, Makoto witnesses as she transforms before her very eyes.

It’s a subtle change, one that nobody would notice if they didn’t know her well. But Makoto  _ knows _ her, and so she can tell when she straightens up her back, drops down her lids, flutters her lashes and pouts her lips. It’s shocking, but once she remembers Ann’s Persona, it all makes sense. 

The guy, who’s been playing some game on his phone, glances up at Ann, does a double take and shoots upright, red crawling up from his neck to his hairline. “H-Hi.” 

“Hey,” she greets back and it sounds almost like a purr. It’s a miracle that Makoto doesn’t choke right then and there. “Can you help me?’

“I- uh- yes! I- I can.” He clears his throat, clearly flustered, and Makoto can’t blame him. Only Ren would be unaffected by this. Maybe Yusuke, too. Maybe.

Ann sets the coat on the counter, plays with the tag caught between two fingers, the pink polish of her nails gleaming under the lights. “This is a really nice piece. Can I get a discount?” 

The boy - Daiki, the name tag reads - stutters for full ten seconds before his brain catches up. “I’m sorry, miss, I can’t…”

Batting her eyelashes, Ann leans her forearms onto the counter, back bowing in what would have been a much more sinful display were she wearing her Phantom Thief outfit. The positioning of her arms presses her breasts together, the collar of her shirt falling to reveal a generous bit of cleavage. “Come now, hot stuff. Can’t you be a little more gentle with me?” 

Makoto’s mouth opens in a silent O. She’s seen this happening before in Palaces and in Mementos, the same words falling from Ann’s lips in a whine sweet like honey, the sad pinch of her eyebrows and downcast eyes. It’s highly effective on shadows, and it seems like it works on people as well. 

Daiki seems like something short circuited and fried inside of him, because he looks like the embodiment of a Blue Screen of Death. Makoto almost feels bad for him. Almost. If this means she will get to take this coat home to wear on the trip, then she is going to let Ann do her thing and work her magic on this poor, unsuspecting, hormonal teenage boy. 

He snaps his mouth shut with an audible click, eyes straying from her chest to her face to her rear which Ann purposefully angled sideways so it could be seen. Makoto squints her eyes at him. He’s sweating. “I- Yes! Yes, I can give you a discount!” 

Ann lets out a high pitched squeal that’s somehow both obnoxious and seductive, and Makoto watches as more beads of sweat roll down his face, leaving his hairline positively damp. He gives her a good discount, and Ann keeps up the acts while he rings up her own purchases, smiling around the straw of her finished milkshake for maximum effect.

“Thank you sooo much, tiger!” Ann winks at him, slowly straightening up and tossing one of her twintails over her shoulders. Daiki is completely enamoured with her by now, watching wide eyes and open mouth as she turns around and walks out the store with Makoto with a slight sway to her hips.

Once outside, sunshine on their face, Ann lets out a brief laugh and rolls her shoulders as if shedding the act like a coat. “That was easy.”

“What was  _ that? _ ” Makoto glimpses at the cashier through the clear glass door, but doesn’t get too see much before Ann pulls her along. “I thought you were supposed to be a bad actress.”

“What, you believe everything that Ryuji and Morgana tell you?” Ann clicks her tongue as if disappointed in Makoto. “I’m a perfectly good actress.”

“Sorry, Ann, but that was all Carmen.” After a brief moment of consideration, she corrects. “All Panther.” 

Humming, Ann rubs a hand over her breast bone, dislodging the golden pendant hanging there. “Yeah, all Panther.” 

Makoto shakes her head, but she’s smiling. So this is how Carmen is affecting Ann. “Thank you for that, though. I know how much you don’t like being sexualized.” 

“Anything for a friend,” she smiles, linking their arms again and touching her head to Makoto’s. 

Her words make something warm bubble inside Makoto. Friends with Ann. They’ve come a long way from who they used to be, shaped that rocky relationship into a bond that has to be cherished every day. That’s the greatest change of all. 


	3. nourishing yourself and others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 3: **Sweet Tooth / Keeping It Healthy**  
_Sunflowers often are associated with courishing yourself and others, since it produces an abundance of edible seeds  
._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmm I still haven't finished the last prompt because I just read and read and read, and I'm not even looking over the finished pieces when I do that. Which I could be doing, but you know. Where's the fun in that?

Protein Lovers had steadily become one of Ryuji’s favorite places in Tokyo, and it houses many good memories too, most of which include Ren, who’d become his workout buddy as they grew closer together. The duo became a trio when Ann, led by her odd admiration for Mika’s efforts to become a better model, asked them to help her train and shape her body for her job. 

Things stayed like that for the better part of the year, until the trio lost a member when Ren had to leave Tokyo as his probation time was up. He keeps on working out in his hometown, and Ann and Ryuji maintain the routine over here. 

Though he liked to whine and mock-complain whenever she joined them in the gym just to annoy her, Ryuji has to admit that Ann is a good workout partner. She’s got lots of energy to expend, both in and out of places like Mementos, and he got to see as such whenever they were doing Phantom Thieves business. It means that she’s willing to spar and go on runs with little to no complaints, and like all other Thieves, she can keep up a steady pace for a long, long time.

Not to mention, she’s a far less scary workout partner than Makoto, that vicious menace, but still scary in her own right. 

Today’s workout had been good. A walk on the treadmill to warm up as they talked about whatever (new menu items in their favorite food joints, as per usual), followed by a weight lifting session, and wrapped up with a little boxing and some sparring to keep their skills honed and sharp. Not that they really need to know how to fight anymore, but it’s good. Endorphins and all that. 

Plus it makes them feel like not much has changed at all, if only for a little while.

Sparring is always the funnest part. It’s when they get to pretend they’re wearing their Phantom Thieves outfits, when they can almost feel the familiar weight of their masks on their faces, resting assuredly on the bridge of their noses. Ann is more agile than she’s physically strong, and at times he catches her doing some movement with her arm that makes him hesitate, waiting for the red blur that was her whip to reach for him, but it never comes. Similarly, he keeps his right hand curled tight into itself like the crowbar is still there. 

It’s good practice, and entertaining, dancing around each other and diving in at times, trying to deliver a blow. It mostly ends in ties, and Ryuji is always taken aback when the adrenaline subsides a little and he remembers they’re just in a common gym, and not in another Palace fighting a wave of Shadows. 

Sitting on the benches lining that particular room, they sip on water from their bottles, and Ann wipes away the sweat with a fluffy pink towel. Ryuji’s muscles are the good kind of sore, aching a bit as he lifts his arm to wipe the nape of his neck. His dyed hair is thoroughly drenched, and droplets of sweat drip from the end of her pigtails.

“We should stretch,” she says, still catching her breath and making no moves to stand up from where they’re slumped. 

“Yeah, well-” his ankle joints pop as he points his toes, and Ryuji sighs, content. “Gimme a sec.” 

She nods, head heavy. “I want to lie down.” 

“Same.” 

For a moment, they just sit there breathing through their mouths and filling their lungs with much needed oxygen. Then, as the water in their bottles runs out and more people stream into the room, Ann finally picks herself up and Ryuji follows, the both of them flowing into their stretching routine, the same one from last year that they developed when Ren was still around. 

With a final huff of breath as they stand upright again, they part ways and slip into the changing rooms, meeting again at the front door freshly showered and squeaky clean. Ann’s damp hair is tied in a braid, which falls over her shoulder, and she thumbs through something in her phone. “Where are we going now?” 

Ryuji takes some time to think. Much like they did with Ren, they continue to go out to grab a bite after a successful workout. Sometimes, they hold back on the grease and calories by getting a smoothie or some other healthy dish like grilled fish with green beans. Most times, though, they end up going to Big Bang Burger or the crepe shop Ann loves to ruin all of the progress made. 

He rolls his shoulders, feels the ache of his back muscles and thinks today is a good day to do things right until they run into someone selling mochi ice cream or something of the like.

They sit in a round table in a food establishment, soda in front of him and tea for her, her arms still quivering from the strenuous workout. Ryuji thinks of getting home and sinking into the couch to marathon a movie or play a game, spend the whole weekend creating a dent in the soft cushions when Ann makes a disgruntled noise.

“I’d almost forgotten exams start next week,” she says when he gives her a questioning look, and the both of them groan in unison. Ryuji goes as far as bonking his head on the tabletop. He had forgotten about that.

“Aw man, I just wanted to get home and chill.” He sighs into the bamboo mat set in front of him. “We don’t even have Makoto and Ren to help us, those nerds.” 

Just then, the waitress comes with their orders, all lean protein and colorful veggies arranged neatly on plates. Ryuji pokes dejectedly at the steamed carrot sticks, now regretting suggesting healthy food. Something greasy would have lifted up his mood after having it squashed down thanks to the upcoming exams, and he’ll have to pretend the orange pieces are french fries or something. 

Ann seems to share the sentiment, lifting up a floret of broccoli with much effort and a heavy sigh. 

For a while, they eat in silence save for Ryuji’s quiet grumbling under his breath about  _ damn Shujin _ and  _ stupid exams _ . Ann seems to be doing her own complaints mentally, brow twitching every few seconds in annoyance. 

“Maybe we can set up another study group?” He suggests, saddened that his chicken strip isn’t crunchy, deep fried and oily. “I don’t think Boss would mind if we use Ren’s room to study.” 

She tilts his head, contemplating his idea. “I don’t think that’ll work. Without Makoto there to keep us in line, we’ll end up doing anything but studying.”

Ryuji hums in agreement. “Between you, me and Futaba, we’ll just end up playing video games.” 

“Yusuke will either join us or start doodling.” 

“Yeah, that’s a no, then.” 

They share a collective sigh. Half of the food on their plates is gone, but Ryuji is nowhere near satisfied.

“On the bright side, it means the group will meet up for food after the week is over.” She says, and that makes him perk up immediately. He’s been keeping track of new places that open up so they can all visit together. 

“I’ll send a list of options in the group chat tonight,” he says, putting a slice of radish in his mouth with too much gusto, determined to lift everyone’s spirits after a horrible week of studying and struggling to get good grades. 

Ann nods in agreement, talking around a bite of food. “Gym will be put on hold, but we’ll resume it later.” 

“I’ll look up new routines so we can restart with a bang!” One week off seems like a good idea so they can rest, but he’s already looking forward to working out with her again.

Mood effectively brightened, they finish their meal like it’s the finest sushi eaten after conquering a Palace, pushing their plates away with a hum of approval. After paying, Ryuji takes another swig of his soda as he stands up, throwing the strap of his backpack over one shoulder. Ann gathers her things as well, smiling politely at the waitress on the way out. They still have a ways to walk together until they have to split and head home. 

“We should get ice cream,” she muses, the offer sounding strangely absent minded, like she’s been thinking of it since they met at the front door of the gym after the workout and couldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. 

But it doesn’t sound like a bad idea either. Besides, they kinda earned this ice cream.


	4. positivity and strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 4: **Strike a Pose!** / Casual  
_As the bloom turns to face the sun, the sunflower can be associated with positivity and strength._

For his college entrance exams to win a scholarship in a prestigious art school in Tokyo, Yusuke needs to provide them with a brand new piece in whatever medium he likes best. He goes for oil on canvas, his specialty on his humble opinion, and searches high and low for that spark of inspiration.

His fellow teammates, forever Phantom Thieves in their hearts, try as hard as they can to help, but nothing seems to be enlightening or worthy enough to be put down on canvas with careful strokes.

So Yusuke goes back to what brought him to the Thieves in the first place.

Ann had caught his eyes over a year ago, a beauty like no other that stood out in the crowd that occupied the streets of Shibuya. Much later, he’d come to find that she was more than just a pretty face and a beautiful body. She has a kind soul, the sweetest laugh, and the biggest heart of gold their team has ever seen. Ann is loyal to her friends and will do anything in her power to help them. He’s witnessed as such time and time again.

This time, she vetoes posing nude. This time, he knows how wrong he’d been to impose that on her and threaten to call the police on her friends if she didn’t accept his terms.

In one of the art rooms of Kosei High, Ann holds her pose by the window, a vase in her hand with an arrangement of fake purple wildflowers spilling from it and resting by her feet. Another one is tucked behind her ear, hair loose and falling in waves down her back, lips smudged pink with a lipstick she’d brought. Her dress is one of her parents’ prototypes, a long white piece that fits the idea he has in mind almost too perfectly. 

Thinking of the chromatic circle, he thinks the gold of her hair will compliment the purple of the flowers rather nicely. He has yet to think of a background, but once he figured out the composition for this painting, he couldn’t stop himself from starting it as soon as possible. 

Ann stays still for as long as it takes him to sketch the overall design. To avoid the silence that comes with his concentration, not that it’s as uncomfortable as it had once been, indie songs play from the speakers of her phone not too far away. It’s a nice soundtrack to have when drawing her, looking at the dainty positioning of her limbs, the gracefulness that comes with being a model. Whoever looks at her now or in magazine spreads can hardly imagine that she used to beat Shadows into submission with a whip. 

He gives her the okay to relax, to rest her arms and lower the vase. Ann steps over the flowers, away from the spot marked with white tape on the ground, and wanders over to the easel to look over his sketch. 

“Looks good,” she says, patting him on the shoulder. 

But he hums in contemplation, leaning back, tilting his head this way and that and trying to figure out what could be improved. “I suppose we could… Lower the strap on your left shoulder for a dynamic touch.” When she gives him a half-hearted glare, he laughs softly. “Just a little. Your body is leaning down to the left, it would make sense.” 

“Fine.” Ann pokes him in the ribs, and he writhes, stifling a startled yelp. “But don’t try anything funny again.” 

“You devious woman,” Yusuke contorts away from her finger when she tries to jab it into his side again. “Leave my ticklish spots alone.” 

She giggles and moves away, returning to the marked spot and picking up the vase. A flick of her finger and the strap falls from her shoulder and down her arm, and that indeed makes it better, keeps her covered up and adds a hint of allure at the same time. Yusuke is quick to erase the light lines on the canvas and replace them with new ones.

Having her here as a muse brings back a lot of memories from that time. Even with what he’d done, she’d still gone the length needed to help free him from Madarame’s clutches and bring the man to justice. Now, Ann is at ease with the uncovered shoulder, but he can’t help but think that once this could have been too much, and it’s clear she never forgot about what he’d put her through.

Come to think of it, he doesn’t know if he ever apologized for that. Doesn’t think he did. 

He places down his pencil, gazing at her seriously. “Ann?” She hums, maintaining the pose even as she looks at him in askance. She has really grown as a model over the months. “I want to apologize.” 

Puzzled, she furrows her brow. “What for?” 

“My behavior when we first met.” He elaborates, and her face changes as realization dawns on her face. “I realized too late that it had been wrong of me to stalk you for days and… Coerce you into posing nude for a painting that wouldn’t be presented as mine.” Standing up, Yusuke bows crisply at the waist. “Forgive me.” 

“W-What! Gee, Yusuke, straighten up. There’s no need for that!” When he looks at her again, she’s red in the face and clearly flustered, her elegant pose now broken, vase balanced on her hip. Ann wears her emotions on her sleeve, and he has to smile at her puffed cheeks. “Just- sit back down.” 

He complies, amused at her reaction, unable to keep himself from smiling a little. She puts the vase to the side and plucks away the wisp of flowers tucked behind her ear, buying herself some time as she collects her thoughts. He waits patiently.

“Yeah, what you did wasn’t nice. That was very creepy, to be honest.” Yusuke knew as much, but still internally winces at her words. “But I understand you were desperate to help the man you thought you owed your life to.”

“That shouldn’t excuse my poor behavior.” 

“It doesn’t,” she agrees with a shake of her head. “It was hard. I’d just gotten myself out of a bad situation and suddenly had to pose nude to help the Thieves out. To help you out. I don’t know what I would have done if it’d gotten to that, but I’m glad I managed to dodge that bullet.”

Yusuke looks down at his hands. “I didn’t know about Kamoshida, then, but even so, I shouldn’t have imposed that on you.” 

“You’re right about that.” Ann pulls closer one of the high stools and sits upon it. The sight strikes him with creativity at the oddest of times. “You shouldn’t have, but look on the bright side. You’ve learned and you won’t do it again.” 

He nods, exhaling slowly. No other stranger will have to go through the same situation as she did. “Do you forgive me?”

She smiles, reaching out to grasp his hand. “Of course I do, Yusuke. You’re my friend.”

Relief rushes through him like a warm rain shower, and he twists his hand around to squeeze hers gently. “Thank you. Your friendship means a lot to me.” 

“So does yours.” Giving his hand a squeeze back, Ann hops up from the stool and smooths a hand down the skirt of her dress. “I’m getting emotional, so let’s resume.” 

Chuckling under his breath, Yusuke takes the high stool to the marked spot and arranges her upon it, the placement of limbs and the fake flowers inside the vase. “May I?” After she gives her consent, he carefully slips down the strap of the dress a couple of inches and fixes the golden waves of her hair over her other shoulder.

Ann looks down at herself as he gets comfortable behind the easel and switches the canvas, saving the previous doodle for another time. “When did you have this idea?”

“Just now.” She giggles, head still ducked down, and he gasps. “Hold it like that! Yes, perfect!”

Her laugh resonates in the room like the chime of a bell, full of life and brightness just like her. Ann is the embodiment of a summer day, hair bright like the sun and eyes clear like the sky. 

Yusuke feels honored to be able to paint her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, another chapter that I wrote before a trailer reveal (iirc, it's implied Yusuke asks Ann to pose for him again? Idk). 
> 
> Honestly, I just love their dynamic and relationship. YusuAnn, or however it's called akfhak, happens to be my second favorite ship for each character. But I absolutely adore them as friends as well (as seen in _got this feeling_). They're just *chef's kiss*


	5. brightening your mood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 5: **Inner Beauty / Outer Beauty**  
_The sunflower can brighten your mood, through the vibrancy of the yellow or orange petals_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're already getting close to the end, huh. I'm happy to say that I finished the last prompt yesterday. Thank you for everyone who's been reading this and for those who commented! I'm too socially inept to answer them as they come tho. There are comments from june waiting in my inbox rip

After the tragic loss of her father, Haru was faced with some liberties she hadn’t gotten to enjoy before, one of which was inviting her friends over. The issue was that she didn't really have friends, and even after the Phantom Thieves came along, their lives were too hectic fighting crime and bringing people to justice for a get together in her house.

After Ren moved back to his hometown, and Haru and Makoto left Shujin to attend college, their meetings in gener had decreased significantly, but the group chat is lively as always. It helps maintain their connection to one another until they can meet again.

Today, she wants to try something different. It’s been a while since they all could hang out together, and Haru wants to experience something unique: a sleepover. 

She’s only overheard stories about it and seen it in movies, girls that would spend the night together and braid each other’s hair or something like that. For maximum girly time, of course Ann is the first option. being the one who’s done this countless times before with Shiho. 

Ann starts the party as soon as she arrives, dropping her bag of clothes and supplies on the thick comforter of Haru's bed. She rolls out dozens of makeup items and nail polish, and Haru eyes the colorful bottles with interest.

“I brought hair ties and bobby pins as well.” She shakes a little box before tossing it among the other things.

Haru touches the ends of her auburn hair, thoughtful. “My hair’s too short for that.”

“Nonsense, we can work something out. There are tons of tutorial online.” Beaming, Ann claps her hands twice. “Let’s begin.” 

They head to the expansive kitchen to prepare easy but delicious snacks for their sleepover. Haru drops bonbons into a bowl, and Ann carefully fishes the hot popcorn out of the microwave. With savory and sweet treats in a tray, plus a jar of water and one of juice, they back track to her room. 

Ann sits Haru down on the table where she has her afternoon tea, the collection of nail polish sitting in the space between them. “Pick a color,” she says as she files Haru’s nails. 

She’s been debating ever since Ann revealed the little bottles, but hasn’t made up her mind yet. Thinking of her garden, she says, “I really like the pale pink and pastel green. I can’t choose.”

“Then we use both.” She declares with finality, unscrewing one of the bottles and picking up one of Haru’s hands. She watches as Ann leans forward before she starts painting a nail, the tip of her tongue poking from between her lips in concentration. 

Haru chews on popcorn in between replies to the current topic of conversation, her new life as college student, and wiggles her fingers when Ann is done with the first layer. The pink and green together remind her of spring and flowers, and Haru excitedly offers her the other hand, making Ann giggle. 

“You’re good at this,” she comments. Ann barely gets polish on the cuticles or skin around the nails.

“I’ve been painting my nails for years. Plus, I got to practice with Shiho, too.” Ann smiles at the memory of her friend. “She’s not big on flashy nail polish, though.” 

“I never painted my own nails.” When it was required that she attended to an event with her father, Haru would usually have someone else style her hair and do everything else for the occasion. She eyes the makeup still lying on the bed. “Or done my own makeup.” 

Ann hums, releasing her hand and going back to the first one for the second layer. “You can keep these to practice. I have a lilac shade you might like, as well.” 

“Thank you.” Haru dips her head in gratitude. “Can I paint your nails as well?” 

“Sure! I bought a new red shade I want to try.” When Haru giggles, Ann looks up from the colorful nails. “What?”

“Figures you’d pick red.” Her smile softens around the edges, turns into something wistful. Ann’s own smile is nostalgic, as well. “Do you ever miss those days?” 

She nods, picking up her other hand. “Yeah… Sometimes it feels like it was just a dream.” 

“If we hadn’t gone through it together, I’d have convinced myself of that.” Haru was the last to join the team, being the one who got to experience the Metaverse for a shorter period of time. For her, it’d been somewhat easy to slide back into her old life. For people like Ann, Ryuji and Ren, who’d been the first three to venture into the other dimension, she could only imagine how hard it must be. 

Ann closes both bottles of nail polish and applies a layer of top coat. “We still talk to each other, so it’s not so bad as the alternative.” 

Haru would be lying if she said she hadn’t feared the group would drift apart after the Phantom Thieves were no more and Ren had to go home. They were - are the first friends she’s ever had, ones who’d been there to help with her father, and then to comfort her when it all fell through. She was afraid she’d be completely alone, but thankfully Ryuji, Ann and Futaba, mostly, are too stubborn to let their group dissolve. 

She’s incredibly grateful for that.

Ann passes her the bottle of red nail polish once Haru’s nails have dried, a pretzel stick caught between her teeth. Haru opens the bottle with a deep breath, bracing herself. It doesn’t seem to sit right in her fingers, but she tries her best to do a good job. 

“All of us have come a long way,” Ann comments idly, watching the strokes of the brush, unseeing. “I think the one who’s improved most is Futaba. She’s even going to school now.” 

Haru wrinkles her nose as she stains the skin around the nail. “I heard that she used to isolate herself.”

“Hmm. It’s a long story that led up to that, and it’s not mine to tell.” Ann props her chin on her fist, rolling a candy around in her mouth. “Helping her felt good. It was so heartwarming to see her enjoying the beach for the first time.” 

“You all did well to get her out of her shell.” Haru offers her a smile, releases the hand she’d been painting. Ann doesn’t look at it before offering the other hand, trusting Haru and her abilities with her nails, all of which are perfectly cared for and slightly pointy. Haru paints the nail of the index finger and does a double take. “These look like claws.” 

Ann giggles into the back of her spare hand. “Had to find a way to keep my signature look alive.” 

“Not a bad idea.” Haru goes back to painting the other nails. “Maybe I should start wearing hats.” 

“You could pull it off,” Ann comments with confidence.

Haru finishes off painting her nails and lets Ann clean the corners herself with a toothpick, some cotton and a bit of polish remover. The makeup comes next and she debates on asking Ann to teach her how to do her own eyeshadow and stuff. She owns an extensive collection of products, but never makes use of them herself. 

Ann continues to talk about their teammates, how they’re always there to help one another improve in various ways. Makoto has grown more sociable and made friends in college. Futaba herself is befriending people in Shujin, most of which are boys who like games as well, which makes Sojiro less than comfortable. He sure enjoys giving them the stink eye when they come over to their house for games, though. 

Ryuji still spends breaks between classes with Ann and Futaba, and his former track team is trying to make amends and they’ve been tentatively hanging out together again. Yusuke seems to have befriend Hifumi, whom Haru has only heard of and seen on TV, and it seems they’re quite chaotic together. 

Ren is getting along well enough with his former classmates now that his name was cleared, but he’s still looking forward to coming back to Tokyo.

Haru sips on juice as Ann walks over to the makeup to separate them by type. She really is the heart of the Phantom Thieves, worrying and caring for all of them equally, reaching out to every member to check up on them. She’d been there for Haru when her father passed away, and she’s here now for her, and for all of them. 

She didn’t think someone like Ann could exist, someone with so much inner light and love to give in spite of all that happened to her.

Ann is what glues them together. The Phantom Thieves would be much different without her.


	6. loyalty and strong bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 6: **A Place to Belong / Stunted Bloom**  
_Sunflowers can mean loyalty and strong bonds between two people, as represented by the strong and upright stem._

Shiho is twelve and no stranger to loneliness. The other girls call her “too bland,” “childish,” “uninteresting,” and the list goes on. She's the last one to be picked for group activities. She never gave them any reason to be the target of their mean words and scorn, but it’s not like some people need a real motivation to be unkind. 

Her way of dealing with it is to focus on one of her hobbies. Sports is one of the few things she is really good at, and it never fails to make her happy. The girls in her classroom might not like her, and their words sting sometimes, and though she learned early on that people like this will be absent from her life once they all graduate and move on to high school and then college, not letting them get to her is easier said than done.

At home, she’s loved by her parents and little brother. She helps her dad with dinner and plays with her brother in the evenings before bed once she’s done with all of her homework. Her parents are regular people who work nine-to-fives in different offices.

Shiho is twelve and no stranger to loneliness, but she’s never seen someone as lonely as  _ her _ .

A new transfer student arrives, the reason behind all the rumors Shiho overheard on her way to the classroom. She stands in front of the class, a tense line to her shoulders, lips tightly pressed together, uncomfortable at all the attention placed on her. Shiho doesn’t doubt that the murmurs reached her ears already.

The teacher introduces her as Ann Takamaki, recently moved from Finland. The girl sitting to Shiho’s left leans towards her friend and whispers something, her knowledge of geography as bad as her personality. 

Shiho watches the new girl walk to the last vacant chair in the class and sit down without a sound. 

And she watches, and watches, and watches.

Ann Takamaki stands out in their school like a sore thumb, her blonde hair and blue eyes attracting the stares of everyone she walks past. She has lunch alone and curls into herself when she’s done, like she can somehow blend into the background and escape the curious, prodding gazes of her peers. 

Truthfully, Shiho’s heart aches, but she doesn’t have the courage to approach her, too self conscious and full of doubt to believe she can help in any way. 

Shiho continues to observe her from afar for the next weeks. Ann rarely speaks aloud, only when prompted by a teacher, and it gets one of two reactions out of their classmates. They’ll either snicker if she gets the answer wrong, or groan if she gets it right. Ann excels in English, a subject that is hard for many students, and Shiho thinks she might be fluent in other languages, too.

“A freak,” she overhears one girl say to another one day, the both of them staring at Ann from across the gym.

“There’s no way that hair is natural.” And the boys, barely into their prepubescent years and having recently discovered explicit sexual videos, make innuendos at her about it all the time. 

Sometimes, it looks like to Shiho that Ann might cry, but she never does. Her lips may quiver, but she bites on them to keep them steady and goes on about her business.

One morning, Ann shows up to class with her features hard as if carved in stone, a different person than she’d been on the previous day. For the others, it was a sudden change, but for Shiho, who has been observing from the sidelines, it’s not a surprise. She’d noticed as Ann’s lips slowly stopped quivering, as the lines of her face hardened as days passed and the rumors increased. Ann now looks intimidating enough that no one truly approaches her to say mean things to her face anymore. They never stop gossiping, though, but she never rises up to take the bait, going on as if nothing is bothering her. 

Shiho finds it inspiring. 

Painting has been a hobby of hers since her childhood years. Maybe Shiho isn’t a naturally gifted artist or even the best in her class, but she likes working with paints, watercolors and such.

Their teacher instructed them to recreate a landscape painting with cheap gouache, a practice to better understand how the material of choice works. In the circular table, Shiho shares the space with four other students, three of which are huddled together as far as they can get from her or Ann. It’s almost like their fear catching rabies, cooties or something. 

Shiho steals glimpses at Ann from the corner of her eyes. She seems to be deep in concentration; that, or she’s absolutely bored out of her mind, eyes half-lidded and lips in a thin line. Shiho returns her gaze to her paper as the teacher walks by, then glances to Ann’s work. She cringes internally.

“Takamaki-san…” Ann’s brush stops halfway to a dark shade of orange, her blue eyes sliding towards a gaping Shiho. “Your paintings suck.” 

There’s a beat of silence before the girls on the other side of the table start snickering. Ann reclines in her chair to look down at her piece, a deep frown on her face, and Shiho slowly catches up to what she’d said. 

“S-Sorry.” Red in the face, she bites her lip, looking down at the gradient of colors that was supposed to be a sunset, but it lacks a smooth transition between one shade and the next. “I just… It’s so bad, I had to tell you that.” 

Ann regards her seriously, and Shiho fears she might spontaneously catch on fire under the weight of her stare, but then she - laughs. 

Bewildered, Shiho blinks owlishly at the transfer student who’s still snickering madly into her palm. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry.” Her Japanese still has traces of an accent here and there, which will likely disappear with time. “That was so mean, but so sudden, I just…”

Shiho smiles, a little in relief, a little in wonder, because it’s the first time she’s seen Ann Takamaki smile in all the weeks she’s known her. 

From there on out, they start spending more and more time together. First in art classes, then Ann approaches her one day during lunch time, bento in hand and a small smile on her face, and later they partner up for gym classes. Shiho barely noticed when they got inseparable; one day, she’d woken up and they were best friends.

“What are you looking at?” 

In Ann’s room, there’s a framed picture of them from their middle school years placed alongside a picture of her parents and one of the friends she made along the previous year. Shiho lifts it up and points at a much smaller Ann. “Just internally laughing at your crooked pigtails and the paint on your face.” 

Ann snatches the picture away, taken when Shiho had come over to teach her how to work with gouache. “You could have warned me.” 

“So could your parents.” Shiho shrugs offhandedly, and snickers when Ann shoots her a dirty look. “What? It means you were having fun.”

“I’m going to bury this somewhere so you won’t be able to embarrass me in the future.” 

“Afraid I’ll show this to your crush?” Ann stays quiet as she puts it back down on the desk. Shiho waits for her to say anything, but when she doesn’t, her silence and the flush on her cheeks can only mean one thing. “Oooh, has your crush seen this already?” 

“Shut up, Shiho.” Her face is red as a tomato, which clearly is a confirmation.

Shiho decides to spare her, though, and hooks her arm with hers, gently tugging her towards the door. “Let’s go get those crepes already. There’s a new flavor, isn’t there?” 

The blush doesn’t recede, but the light in her eyes doubles in intensity. “Yeah! I wanna try it so bad, Shiho. What are we doing after?”

“Hmm… We can go to the arcade and play Dance Dance Evolution?” Shiho receives an “awesome!” as answer and lets Ann take the lead. 

Shiho has been staying over at Ann’s during her week-long return to Tokyo, a brief visit before the holidays to celebrate with her best friend. Coming back to the bustling city life feels both familiar and alien, and she has to readjust to the crowded subways, though she knows each line to take towards their destination.

A part of her doesn’t miss Tokyo. Everything that transpired last April tainted the city in her eyes, especially when it brought to surface how deeply the corruption ran. Another part of her misses places like Inokashira Park, the many food joints she’d visited over the years, the unplanned “shopping sprees” that ended with them buying tons of nail polish they’d never truly use.

All of her had missed Ann, though, and it feels good to be with her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally, Shiho! I'm under the impression this one didn't flow as well; I might revisit it in the future when it's not as fresh. The next and last chapter will come tomorrow at a later time because I'm be away from home, but it's coming! Rest assured.


	7. lasting happiness and adoration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DAY 7: **Free Day**  
_Because of the myth of Clytie and Apollo, the sunflower most commonly means adoration and loyalty. However, sunflower meanings can vary across cultures. In China, people associate sunflowers with a long life, good fortune, lasting happiness and vitality._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes that Good Shuann Content™

Tokyo hasn’t changed at all. Ren can still remember how hard it was to fit in this city, get used to its rushing crowd, only to feel out of place once he returned to his much, much smaller town and its calm atmosphere. The jostling of the subway is familiar even after twelve long months away, and so is the weight of Morgana tucked away in his bag.

“It feels good to be back,” the cats says, and Ren only hums in agreement, momentarily stunned in the middle of Shibuya. As much as he would like to explore, revisit old places, he’s tired from the long trip and their friends are waiting in Leblanc. 

Yongen-Jaya hasn’t changed much this past year, he notices. The stores are still the same, and familiar people wave at him as he passes, stopping him for a brief moment to greet and catch up. Ren extracts himself from the conversation with apologies and smiles, but they all understand his reasons and shoo him away. 

Leblanc is just ahead, and his heart thunders when he spots its familiar front. The sign reads closed, but there are sounds coming from within, the unmistakable voice belonging to Ryuji drifting to the outside. “Still loud as ever,” Morgana comments with a sigh. There’s fondness in his tone, though, and Ren chuckles quietly to himself, petting the cat on the head before entering the café. 

The inside is decorated with colorful balloons. Two party poppers explode above his head, showering him in bright confetti as his friends cheer and crowd around him. He’d expected this to be just him and the Thieves, but there are so many people here, from Hifumi to Iwai and his son. Even their teacher is here. 

Ren smiles at them all, but his eyes keep searching for a head full of blonde hair and bright, sky blue eyes that haven’t left his mind for the past year. The people in front of him shuffle to the side, and she bursts through with a cake in hand and the widest smile on her lips.

“Welcome back, Ren!” 

Something inside him settles, eases the thrum of his pulse and the rush in his ears. “Thank you.” 

The welcome back party lasts for hours. Ren juggles his time and talks to all of them, but his eyes keep straying to Ann. Most of the time, she’s looking back at him. When she’s not, he takes the time to admire her from afar, the flush of her cheeks and the brightness of her smile. He knows, without being told, that she was the one who planned most of this, the one who rallied all of them to prepare this gathering.

She did this once, a year ago when he’d turned himself in to keep them safe, inspired them to fight and get him out of juvie. She visited him after the heist on Sae’s Palace farther in the past, kept him company and treated to some of his wounds when having Tae come to Leblanc every day would be far too suspicious.

Over the course of the past twelve months, he kept in touch with his fellow Thieves and noticed that she was a constant. Ann always found a way to spend time with each of them, being mentioned in most of the stories that were told. Yusuke even got her to pose for him, and the result was something Ren wishes he could frame and hang in his room. The painting captured the best of her, her essence, her glow. Yusuke recreated her smile perfectly, the curve of her lashes, the gentle slope of her nose. 

It was looking at that picture that Ren’s heart throbbed and he became much too aware of his feelings.

Why, they had been messaging each other nonstop long before he left, and the distance only pushed them towards video and phone calls when the opportunity arose. That twinge of affection steadily grew into something bigger and stronger, left him eager to return to Tokyo, return to her. 

He’s been thinking of her growth for so long, of how much she changed from the quiet girl who isolated herself from her peers to a fierce girl who let her confidence shine and possessed a heart of gold. Better than witnessing it all is being part of it, being able to think to himself at night  _ ‘hey, I helped her become this amazing person she is now, and in turn she helped me better myself.’ _

Out of all the memories, of all the things they did together in Tokyo and the hours spent texting and chatting, the one most precious memory is that one smile she gave him on his first day of school, in that rainy, gloomy Monday morning under the awning of a storefront. That kind, gentle curve that softened her eyes and made his breath catch. The most beautiful thing he’d seen in Tokyo.

There’s no one in this world quite like her, to be honest.

She stays to help clean the dishes, all the while the he debates whether or not he should try to say something,  _ anything _ today. It’s just his first day here again and he doesn’t want to make things too awkward too soon if she turns him down in the end. 

But when it becomes clear that she’s stalling until the others leave and only they are left, he makes up his mind.

Sojiro gives him a look that’s both teasing and full of warning over his shoulder as he instructs him to close up the café and steers Futaba outside, Morgana cradled in her arms. Another opportunity as perfect as this won’t happen anytime soon, so Ren has to make it count. He walks around the counter to find her crouched behind it, stacking the clean dishes in the cabinet, and freezes when she looks up with a smile.

There’s so much he wants to say, so much he needs to say, but all the words shrivel and die in the back of his throat and he’s left grasping for any remainders. Still flailing, Ren crouches beside her to help, lips curved up in a smile. 

He’s found that Ann can read his silence very well, and so does he, but some things need to be said aloud, even as she inches closer and peers at him from beneath her lashes when he not-so-subtly runs his fingertips along the back of her hands. Her cheeks are flushed prettily under the golden lights hanging from the ceiling, lips glistening from where she bit them. 

When all the dishes are in their place and the doors of the cabinet are closed, Ren takes both her hands in his and pulls her up as she stands. Her fingers squeeze his hands tightly, and he returns the gesture. 

Something warm and tender rolls down his spine and squeezes his heart when she says, quiet but so full of feeling, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” he breathes out, eyes downcast and focused on their joined hands. Her skin is warm, soft and delicate. Ren runs his thumbs over her knuckles, notices as goosebumps rise on her forearms when he guides her one step backwards.

Ann takes a shuddering breath, the small of her back bumping lightly against the counter. From this close, he can smell the sweetness of her perfume, the vanilla and apple blossoms that had clung to his shirt after the last hug they shared so long ago. Ren would like that to happen again, to feel her arms around him and fill his lungs with this smell, forever. 

“I’m glad the world knows the truth.” She says, unrelated to the previous topic, and Ren suspects her brain is tripping over itself much like his own. “I’m glad they know you’re a good person, Ren.”

“You’re so much better.” He releases one of her hand to brush away a lock of her fringe that’s fallen into her eyes, uses the opportunity to trace the arc of her cheekbone with the tip of his finger. Whatever he was about to say to follow that up dies when her breath hitches, lips falling open and lashes fluttering shut. His thoughts swerve and crash, and there’s only white noise in his ears. 

Before he thinks too much of it, he tilts her face up and presses a kiss to the corner of her lips. Just a simple, chaste touch, but his insides are engulfed in a wave of warmth and everything falls into place. Ann’s hand rises to rest over his breast bone, and for the briefest moment he thinks he’s read all of this wrong and she’ll push him away, but then her fingers curl around the worn out fabric of his shirt and she turns her face to slot their lips together properly, and his heart soars. 

Easy as that. 

When he parts from her pliant lips and searches her face, he finds her staring back, eyes full of light and love and affection. Ren has no doubt she sees the same in him now. The eyes are the windows to the soul, after all, and right now his is pink and in love, giddy with happiness, among so many other overwhelming feelings he can hardly name. 

Ren cups her face with his hand more firmly, draws her in for another press, lips brushing and moving tentative and eager with one another. Her fingers grip his shoulders, glide to his neck and rest behind it. He shivers, pulling away with a gasp and smiling when she giggles.

“Welcome back.” Her lips press the words to the pulse of his neck when she embraces him, tight the way she’s always done, rising on her tiptoes to hide her face in his skin. 

His arms wrap around her, pull her even closer, nose burying in her blonde locks. In the quietness of the empty café, time is endless, and he holds her like that until all the longing and the distance between them decreases to bearable levels, until their heartbeats slow and match, until the tears dampening his shirt cease.

“I’m home.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ann Week is now officially wrapped up! I hope everyone had a good time. Ann is the bestest girl and she deserves so much love!

**Author's Note:**

> | [tumblr](https://chinarai.tumblr.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/chinaraii) | [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/chinarai) |


End file.
